The Five Scarves - Dragonkin Ultimatum Part 2
by RaceProUK
Summary: The rebuilt Four Scarves have their mission: infiltrate the Kakusareta Kyuden, recover the Elemental Crystals, save Hanna Skarlett, and apprehend Aquila Kawaguchi. It's an impossible mission; nevertheless, they must succeed, or die trying.
1. Chapter 1

As the sun breaks over the horizon, Maria leads Rob, Danny, and Xander deep into the forests surrounding the Kakusareta Kyuden; the dense foliage reduces what little light exists so effectively, only Maria's vision can pick up any detail.

"Is it just me, or is the foliage thicker than last time?" Xander asks, keeping the volume of his voice to a minimum.

"You have a point there, big guy," Rob agrees. "I can't see a thing."

"Good thing you have me to lead the way," Maria interjects, skilful swings of her ninjato carving a path through the undergrowth.

For the next two hours, the Scarves proceed in silence; the only sounds are the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the gentle crump of topsoil, the swish of Maria's blade, and-

"Someone's following us," Xander announces.

"How can they be?" Danny doubts. "No-one knows we're here."

"The wolf is correct," a voice confirms. Its wooden echo fills the air, disguising its origin; it's almost as if the forest itself is speaking.

"That's not good," Danny breathes.

"Keep 'em peeled," Rob commands.

"Your senses cannot help you," the voice taunts. "Your instincts will lie to you, and the forest will claim your lives."

"Only a coward challenges his foes from the shadows!" Maria declares loudly. "Reveal yourself this instant!"

"Oh, my dear mistaken lynx, I do not challenge you from the shadows," the voice replies. "I _control_ the shadows. For I am the forest, and I will be your grave."

Without warning, vines sprout from the trees, targetting the Scarves; within seconds, Xander is pinned to the ground, unable to move an inch.

"As you can see, you're no match for me," the voice goads as Rob, Maria, and Danny duck, dodge, and weave in desperation; Danny is the next to be ensnared, cocooned and hanging from a sycamore.

" _Enough!_ " Maria yells, her voice filled with anger and venom. " _No more tricks! Come out and fight properly!_ "

"As you wish."

The foliage parts in front of the lynx; Maria watches steadfast as a silhouetted sable makes his presence known.

"Ryoichi Nakano," Maria growls.

"Maria Shanmao," the sable replies. "You should be dead."

"Hate to disappoint. Where is Tsubaki Moto? I have some unfinished business with her."

"She's around."

"I'm sure."

"Unfortunately, you won't be seeing her again."

"Trust me, I will. And I will shred anyone and everyone who dares get in my way."

Ryoichi pauses a moment before replying. "You've changed; you're almost as bad as that pathetic vixen."

Murder flashes in Maria's eyes. "I will give you one chance and one chance only. Surrender, or die."

Ryoichi remains silent.

"That's _exactly_ what I wanted to hear," Maria grins malevolently.


	2. Chapter 2

The speed of Ryoichi's charge almost takes Maria by surprise; she barely has enough time to raise her ninjato to deflect the twin tambo away from her head. Ducking and rolling under the charge, Maria attempts a sweep-kick, aiming to tip Ryoichi off-balance; the powered-up sable deftly leaps the attack, pushing off a nearby tree directly back at Maria. The lynx continues to roll out of the range of the sable; once clear, Maria stands quickly; discarding the ninjato, she extends her claws to the fullest, and awaits Ryoichi's next move.

But the sable has disappeared once more, blending in with the shadows.

Maria slows her breathing and focusses all her attention on her hearing; her ears twitch as they pick up every little sound in the forest.

A rustle: just a bird leaving its nest to forage. Another: a squirrel, hunting for nourishment.

There! A crack!

With adrenalin-fuelled speed, Maria unsheathes her tanto and throws it in the direction of the sound; her keen hearing picks up the slicing of fabric and flesh the moment before the thunk of metal embedding itself in wood.

"First blood to the lynx," the voice of Ryoichi congratulates. "Though I do question why you have discarded your favoured weapons."

"I have no need of my blades," Maria retorts defiantly, seeing with her ears. "I'd rather get my hands dirty anyway."

"Then you are a fool."

"What did he promise you?"

The question takes Ryoichi by surprise; it's a moment before he answers. "It seems a second round of praise is in order. As for what I was promised; as it happens, I am already in possession."

"I suspected as much."

"You're stalling."

"I'm waiting. _You're_ stalling. Afraid I'll win?"

Without warning, Ryoichi bursts out of the shadows once more; Maria leaps backwards, avoiding Ryoichi's attack by the width of a single hair. In return, she slashes opportunistically; her claws connect and draw blood from the sable's leg. Ryoichi lands in a roll, ending on his feet; he turns just in time to block Maria's counter-charge. Frantically, the two highly-skilled ninjas duel hand-to-hand, neither giving the other even the slightest opening; each punch is deflected, each kick blocked.

By this point, Rob had felt his way to where Xander is pinned and begun to carefully cut the vines with his sai and free his friend. And as Maria and Ryoichi clash in frantic hand-to-hand, Rob succeeds in freeing Xander's arms.

"Thanks," Xander whispers. "I can get the rest."

"How well can you see?" Rob whispers back.

"Well enough to tell a sable from a lynx," Xander answers as he claws the vines away from his legs.

"Good," Rob sighs, relieved. "I still can't see a thing. And I'm worried Maria's pushing herself too hard."

Xander silently rises to his feet; an impressive act for someone of his size. "All I need is one chance."

"I hope for all our sakes you get it," Rob replies.


	3. Chapter 3

Just as Maria gains the slightest advantage, Ryoichi vanishes into the shadows once more.

"What's the matter?" Maria challenges, panting heavily. "Afraid to get beaten by a girl?"

There is no answer.

Maria feels a chill run down her spine. _He's toying with me now, trying to psych me out. Ain't gonna work._ A few deep breaths slow her breathing enough to be near-silent; the keen lynx hearing is once again attuned to her surroundings. But Ryoichi is giving nothing away; the forest is totally silent.

"Tell me how you survived," Ryoichi demands from the shadows.

"I thought of my Hanna," Maria explains; she silently curses herself for letting her secret slip out so easily.

The revelation gives Ryoichi pause. "It must hurt, knowing the one you love loves someone else."

"I get by."

"I wonder, what does the hare think of your little secret?"

"The hare already knows," Rob answers. "And has known all along."

"Really?" Maria asks, confused, yet also relieved. "You're not-"

"Course not," Rob assures. "You've done nothing wrong."

The sound of laughter echoes throughout the forest. "Love, friendship, compassion. All weaknesses. Your failure is inevitable. Surrender, and I'll make your deaths quick; resist, and Tsubaki will draw them out beyond all endurance."

" _Red Scarves never surrender!_ " Maria cries defiantly.

"Just as I thought."

Suddenly, Maria finds herself surrounded by thick vines; before she can leap out, they close over her head, sealing her inside a botanical sarcophagus.

"You think this can hold me?" Maria challenges.

"Long enough to get you to Tsubaki," Ryoichi replies.

"Do you remember the name I used when we first met?"

"Ah yes; your 'girlfriend' called you 'Wood'."

"Ever wonder why?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Shame; would have saved you the embarrassment you're about to suffer."

Maria closes her eyes, starts spinning her nunchaku, and focusses hard; a few moments later, the vines surrounding the lynx blow apart as they are shredded into organic confetti.

"Elemental affinity," Ryoichi observes. "Didn't know you had that ability."

"I don't," Maria confirms, her voice hollow and wooden. "But all this taunting has given me time to tune into the Crystal energy Aquila has gifted you, and turn it against you."

Once again, Ryoichi laughs. "Desperation; you reek of it."

"You think you'll win. But I _know_ you won't."

After a moment's pause, Ryoichi charges once more.

Straight into the tonfa of Xander Lykos.


	4. Chapter 4

When Ryoichi regains consciousness, he finds himself enveloped in the trunk of a sycamore, unable to move away from the tip of the ninjato held against his throat; Maria, back to normal, holds the blade perfectly still, applying just enough pressure for Ryoichi to feel.

"The only reason you're alive is because we're not monsters like you, your kin, and your pathetic excuse for a captain," Maria growls; Xander gives her a fleeting sidelong glance.

"This is an interesting little gizmo," Rob comments, turning the broken collar over in his hands. "I wore something similar once; we all did, in fact. Good thing we got it off you before Aquila could trigger one of the many ways this thing can kill its wearer."

"Got a nasty electrical burn from the darn thing though," Xander adds; the fur on his fingers has clearly been singed badly.

"Oh, cry me a river, you big baby," Ryoichi spits.

Maria increases the pressure of her ninjato in response. "If you want to live," she hisses, "you will shut up unless asked a direct question, which you will answer honestly and succinctly. Understood?"

"You don't frighten me, little girl," Ryoichi sneers; Maria increases the pressure enough to draw blood. "OK, maybe you scare me a little," the sable admits; Maria pulls back, sheathing her blade.

"How long does this thing last?" Maria asks, holding up a small green gemstone that's a half-scale replica of the real Wood Crystal; Ryoichi curses to himself at the sight of the copycat Crystal. "Answer me now!" Maria demands.

"No idea," Ryoichi admits. "It was never meant to be removed from the collar."

"Guess there's only one way to find out then," Maria growls; focussing once more, she attempts to tap into the copycat Crystal. But as she begins to draw energy, it turns to powder in her hand; she watches as the dust falls through her finger. "Ah. So much for that then. Danny, he's all yours."

Danny takes Maria's place in front of Ryoichi. "The other Grand Masters are here, correct?"

"Correct," Ryoichi confirms.

"And we'll have to fight all of them before we confront Aquila?"

"Correct."

"And do they all have copycat Crystals?"

"Yes."

"And Serpentine? Is he here too?"

"Correct."

"You're being very co-operative."

"No point messing about; you'll die long before you reach Aquila anyway."

"No we won't."

With a quick signal, Danny and his friends leave Ryoichi trapped; Rob discards the broken collar at the sable's feet.

* * *

In the throne room, Aquila sighs deeply as he watches the video feed of the Scarves leaving the sable trapped; he had expected Ryoichi to fail, but not without killing at least one Scarf first. _And I was even denied the pleasure of killing him too. Still, there's no way they'll get past Tsubaki._

A quick channel change reveals the tanuki is ready and waiting just outside the Kyuden's walls.

* * *

In her cell, Hanna can't help but smile at her friends' success. _I'll hold on as long as I can for you, Rob. And for you too, Maria._


	5. Chapter 5

With Mokuzai-dojo Grand Master Ryoichi Nakano defeated, the forest returns to its former thickness. And with daylight filtering through the canopy, the Scarves' progress is much swifter; in less than thirty minutes, they break through the treeline and onto the approach to the Kyuden itself.

"This wasn't here last time," Rob observes, referring to the steel wall surrounding the edge of the clearing. "And it's too high and smooth to scale," he adds, looking up.

"There's an opening down that way," Danny informs, pointing his hanbo to a gap in the wall about fifty feet to his right; the others follow him to the gap, which leads to what looks like a short corridor that turns a right-angle at its end.

"It's a maze," Xander concludes.

"This is Tsubaki's work," Rob concludes.

"How can you tell?" Danny asks.

"Only the Metal Crystal can make structures this large and this perfect so quickly; to make something similar by normal means would take a large workforce at least a week," Rob explains. "And it's a trap."

"Agreed," Danny sighs. "It's also our only choice."

Together, the Scarves enter the maze.

Except Maria.

As she passes the threshold, she feels an overwhelming wave of fear and dread; she halts suddenly, doubling over, clutching her stomach, groaning as if in severe pain, memories of being impaled by her ninjato leaping unbidden into her mind.

Rob is the first to Maria's aid. "You OK?"

"I can't do it," Maria whimpers. "I can't face her again."

"You're not facing her alone," Rob assures.

"Do you know what it's like to have the full length of your own sword driven through your stomach?" Maria growls.

"No," Rob sighs. "And I pray I never find out. But we have to continue."

"She _killed_ me," Maria hisses.

"We need to stay together," Danny insists. "Even with elemental powers, Tsubaki cannot beat all four of us united."

"I died once," Maria mumbles, staring at the ground. "Not again."

"You'll find the strength to face her again," Rob assures. "After all, we're here to save someone."

Maria locks eyes with Rob. "That is a really mean trick to play," she whispers, her expression hard, but her eyes kind. "Thankyou."

Maria stands and takes a few moments to gather herself; after a few deep breaths, she admits "I've never been so scared in my life."

"We're all scared," Xander assures. "But as my father used to say, 'The trick is to use that feeling to keep you alive.'"

"And if it begins to get too much, you know who to think of," Rob adds.

Maria nods her acknowledgement, then steps into the maze. Her stomach turns violently as memories of the agony come flooding back again; for a brief moment, she is desperate to flee. But she doesn't; with a deep and calming breath, she quells her nausea, and strides purposefully into the maze.

With all four Scarves in the maze, the opening closes with a loud clang, trapping them.

"Such bravery is to be admired," a metallic voice echoes through the maze. "Especially from one who should be rotting six feet under."


	6. Chapter 6

Maria freezes in terror at the sound of Tsubaki's voice; for a moment, she barely even breathes. Shaking, she draws her ninjato and her tanto; adopting a low defensive stance, she slowly pushes further into the maze. Rob follows, sai drawn; Danny and Xander cover their friends from behind.

As they proceed, the maze shifts and reforms around them; Tsubaki is clearly forcing them to take a predetermined route. And half an hour later, the Scarves find themselves in a modest arena; once inside, the entrance clangs shut.

"Welcome to the ends of your lives!" Tsubaki greets menacingly, melding out of the far wall, katana drawn and held out beside her as a peacock displays his tail feathers.

Maria swallows hard as she comes face-to-face with the woman who killed her in Shang Tu. "Only one of us will walk away from this," she challenges; it takes every ounce of her willpower to stop her voice shaking.

"I guess I'll need some new hiking boots," Tsubaki mocks. "Tell me, how water-resistant is lynx fur?"

Rob moves in front of Maria. "You'll have to get through me first."

"And me," Danny adds.

"And me," Xander adds.

"Good to know; I need a warm-up," Tsubaki grins malevolently.

Rob, Danny, and Xander charge Tsubaki in unison; the tanuki stands her ground, waiting patiently. Rob is the first to attack, thrusting his sai; Tsubaki deflects the thrusts with ease, sending Rob off-balance; Rob stumbles as he passes the tanuki, falling in a roll. Danny is the next in; Tsubaki sweeps her blades down, aiming for the badger's head; Danny blocks both blades with his hanbo, diverting them to one side. Xander attacks from the other side; he lands a ringing blow on the side of Tsubaki's head.

"You'll have to try harder than that!" the tanuki mocks as Xander's blow glances off her metallic skin; Xander tries to turn his momentum into a shoulder barge, but that too is deflected. As Xander falls and rolls off to one side, Rob attempts to leap onto Tsubaki's back; Tsubaki anticipates the move and ducks the leap; Rob crashes into Danny, sending them both tumbling.

"Are you even trying?" the tanuki cackles, spinning in time to deflect Xander's tonfa; she follows up with a swift knee to his groin; Xander collapses in pain. As he falls to the ground again, Rob charges Tsubaki a second time; he catches her katana in his sai, but is unable to twist them out of her iron grip. Danny then attacks, sweeping his hanbo at Tsubaki's legs; the hanbo snaps in two on impact.

"Pathetic!" Tsubaki gloats, turning her blades inwards then swinging them out; Rob's sai are torn from his grip. Tsubaki then follows with a hard kick to Rob's solar plexus; Rob lands several feet away, badly winded and in serious pain from two broken ribs. With his two friends down and his weapon destroyed, Danny has no choice but to use his claws; they glance uselessly off Tsubaki's liquid metal armour. The tanuki drops her blades and counters with her own claws, raking them over Danny's chest and abdomen; Danny stumbles back, bleeding from eight deep gashes; he falls to his knees, unable to continue.

"And you call yourselves ninjas," Tsubaki sighs as she reclaims her katana. "I've seen better fighters on kindergarten playgrounds. Now, which of you do I kill first? The strongman, the logician, or the joker?" Tsubaki pauses to consider her options. "Actually, none of the above," she concludes, turning to fix Maria with a murderous stare. "I think I'll kill the kitten first."


	7. Chapter 7

Tsubaki leaps back and melds into the wall once more; seconds later, she bursts out right behind Maria; the lynx spins just in time to deflect the sweeping katana with her ninjato, rolling under Tsubaki as she flies overhead. Landing in a roll, Tsubaki spins to catch Maria's counter-attack; the ring of blade on blade echoes around the arena as the lynx fights for everything that is dear to her.

"At least this time you can fight," Tsubaki compliments. "Pity you'll lose. And I promise, this time your death will be _permanent_."

Maria doesn't respond; she's putting all her focus into the fight itself. Slowly, she begins to push Tsubaki into the centre of the arena; for a fleeting moment, Maria thinks she's getting the upper hand. But Tsubaki is going easy on Maria. As they reach the very centre of the arena, the tanuki taps into the elemental power provided by the Metal Crystal clone in her collar; Tsubaki increases her speed and ferocity, raining an endless barrage at the lynx; Maria is forced to fight on pure instinct.

"No-one can help you now!" Tsubaki declares as she pushes Maria ever backwards; before long, Maria finds herself pinned against the wall, using all her strength to hold her ninjato against Tsubaki's katana, just an inch from her head.

"I… don't… need… help!" Maria grunts.

"Bravery, or stupidity?" Tsubaki mocks, holding position. "It's a fine line between the two. Tell you what: I'll make a deal with you. Surrender, and I'll make your death quick. Fight, and I shall draw your death out as long as I can. And I can drag it out for a _very_ long time…"

Tsubaki steps back, allowing Maria to stand away from the wall; without warning, she swings her katana in a scissoring motion, using the elemental power to make her blades monomolecular-sharp.

Maria's ninjato is sliced in three; the two severed sections clatter to the ground.

"Your decision," Tsubaki demands. "Make it."

Maria stares blankly at what's left of her ninjato; in shock, she drops the hilt and sinks to her knees.

"A good choice," Tsubaki smiles. "Of course, when I said 'quick'…"

"That doesn't surprise me," Maria mumbles, hanging her head. "Just… promise me you'll torture me in private."

"You don't get a choice in the matter," Tsubaki informs, placing the tip of a katana on the inside of Maria's left ear.

"Get away from her you bitch!" Rob challenges; Tsubaki spins round in surprise, slicing Maria's ear in two in the process; Maria stifles a scream, though she cannot avoid a pitiful whimpering.

"Oh, you poor deluded fool," Tsubaki sighs. "Do you really want the kitten to watch you die first? That can be arranged."

"Die? Oh, no-one will die," Rob assures.

"Oh really?" Tsubaki chuckles. "You do realise I can kill you with a single kick, right?"

"You won't get the chance," Rob grins.

"What makes you so sure?" Tsubaki challenges, advancing on the hare.

Maria seizes the opportunity and leaps onto Tsubaki's back. Before the tanuki can react, Maria grabs hold of the collar; she summons all her strength to break it off. The collar unleashes a powerful electric shock, but this doesn't stop Maria; fuelled by anger, desperation, and adrenaline, she tears the collar off; Tsubaki's metallic skin vanishes as sparks fly from the smashed circuitry. Rob charges Tsubaki as Maria leaps from her shoulders; he slams the tanuki into the ground, pinning her arms down with his sai.

"Because you're so arrogant, you didn't realise I was merely distracting you," Rob reveals. "And now it's time to say goodnight," he adds, rending the tanuki unconscious.


	8. Chapter 8

"Wakey wakey, rise and shine!" Maria chimes, wearing her cutest and cheesiest smile.

Tsubaki stirs. As her awareness returns, the finds herself seated and unable to move, restrained by a series of chains pinning her arms round her thighs; she meets Maria's childlike demeanour with an expression of pure thunder.

"I'll escape, hunt you down, and kill you," she growls.

"I have a better idea," Maria grins. "I think you should find out how much a sword through the tummy hurts!"

"You wouldn't dare," Tsubaki challenges.

"Aw, you're no fun!" Maria pouts comically. "Don't you want to find out what it's like to die?"

"I'm not afraid of death," Tsubaki retorts defiantly.

"Only because you haven't seen it," Maria grins; her expression appears innocent, but Tsubaki cannot suppress a creeped-out shiver at the darkness in the lynx's eyes.

"I'm not afraid of death," Tsubaki repeats; however, her tone lacks conviction.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Maria asks. "Is the big bad tanuki scared of a widdle kiddy-cat?"

Tsubaki stares back defiantly for a few moments; however, her emotions eventually betray her, and she hangs her head, unable to look Maria in the eye anymore.

"I'll take that as a yes," Maria smirks. "You know what's so sweet about it?" she continues with a more serious tone. "Back in Shang Tu, you won; after all, you did kill me. But my victory over you is far more significant. Why? I came back from the dead and beat you. In doing so, I have set up a permanent home right _here_." Maria places a fingertip on Tsubaki's temple. "And you know what? I like it. Plenty of room to run about in. And I do like to run about."

Maria stands and fetches Tsubaki's katana; she returns to the tanuki and places the tip of one of them inside her left ear. "I'm not going to kill you; unlike you, I'm no monster. Plus, Hanna wouldn't want me to kill you. But there is one thing I want to do before I leave you," Maria informs, massaging her own torn ear. With one smooth and swift move, Maria slices Tsubaki's ear in two; Tsubaki yelps loudly as the blade tears through her flesh. "Oh, and I'm taking your swords," Maria adds as she walks away. "Danny needs a replacement for his hanbo."

" _Now_ will you let me patch your ear?" Rob asks as Maria rejoins her friends.

"Sure," she agrees, sitting in front of Rob; she winces as Rob stitches her ear together.

"How are you feeling?" Rob asks as he finishes dressing the injury. "And how are your hands?"

Maria pauses to think for a moment. "I feel like myself again," she answers. "And my hands are fine," she adds, turning them over to reveal nothing but blackened fur and ruined gloves.

"You certainly sound back to yourself," Rob agrees. "Well, until you scared the living daylights out of her."

"She may have killed me," Maria replies. "But now I _own_ her."

"Rob, do you still have the fake Crystal she was using?" Danny asks, putting the finishing touches to the bandaging around his torso.

"Sadly not," Rob sighs. "It powdered itself just after I tore down the maze. Luckily it fixed my ribs first."

"That's the second fake to have done that," Danny observes, discarding his ruined vest.

"I think it's safe to assume the other Grand Masters have fake Crystals that will do the same thing," Rob concludes. "That way, we can't use them against Aquila."

"But he has the real Crystals," Xander reminds.

"I know," Rob replies.

"And we have three more Grand Masters to fight," Danny adds. "Serpentine too."

"We're gonna be pretty weak when we fight the dragon himself," Xander concludes.

"Agreed," Rob sighs.

"But we'll win," Maria states confidently. "And we'll save Hanna."

* * *

In her cell, Hanna is pleased to see her friends triumph over Tsubaki, but she cannot help but be concerned at the damage they sustained. _You were hit hard; I know you're coming to save me, but please, please rest before you continue._

* * *

In the throne room, Aquila growls in frustration. _Tsubaki has failed me spectacularly; she should have easily had the measure of those infernal Scarves. But she got cocky; Kaede won't make the same mistake…_


End file.
